This week on "Sunday Morning" (February 23)
Hosted by Jane Pauley.
COVER STORY: Are we heading toward a constitutional crisis?President Trump, who tried to overturn the 2020 election result, has been shattering norms upon returning to the Oval Office. Since the nation's founding, the guardrails that have kept presidents in check have been in the courts and Congress. But will they hold? "Sunday Morning" national correspondent Robert Costa talks with legal analysts about constitutional order and the limits of executive power.
For more info:
National Constitution Center, PhiladelphiaGillian Metzger, Professor of Constitutional Law, Columbia UniversityDonald McGahn, Jones Day
ALMANAC: February 23"Sunday Morning" looks back at historical events on this date.
ARTS: Gallery owner Larry Gagosian on the "blood sport" of the art worldHe's been called "the biggest art dealer in the history of the world." With 18 galleries around the globe, Larry Gagosian has more exhibition space than most museums. He talks with correspondent Anthony Mason about his estimated billion-dollar-a-year business; New York's competitive art world; spotting the talent of a young Jean-Michel Basquiat; and why, at age 79, he thinks resting is "overrated."
For more info:
gagosian.com
HISTORY: President William McKinley's AmericaPresident Trump has repeatedly expressed admiration for one predecessor in particular: William McKinley, our 25th president, who loved tariffs, and oversaw an expansion of U.S. territory around the globe. But McKinley is best remembered as being one of the four presidents that was assassinated, and for having his name attached to a mountain in Alaska. Correspondent Mo Rocca visits America's heartland in search of the legacy of the Gilded Age chief executive.
For more info:
McKinley Presidential Library & Museum, Canton, OhioPresidential historian Kevin Kern, University of Akron
PHOTOGRAPHY: Holocaust survivors on bearing witnessIt's estimated that of the 200,000 survivors of the Holocaust still with us, half will be gone in the next 5-7 years, which is why photographer Gillian Laub has been taking photos of as many Holocaust survivors as she can – more than 300 portraits so far. Correspondent Lee Cowan talks with Laub about her project, called "Live2Tell." He also talks with some survivors – models of courage, fortitude and grace – who bear witness to the horrors they experienced, and to the antisemitism they see today in America. As 89-year-old Stella Sonnenschein says, "We have a job to do."
For more info:
Photographer Gillian Laub: Live2Tell - Survivors and StoriesFollow Live2Tell on InstagramFollow Gillian Laub on InstagramMuseum of Jewish Heritage, New York CityClaims Conference
PASSAGE: In memoriam"Sunday Morning" remembers some of the notable figures who left us this week.
NATURE: Why does a big elk sound so puny?In this animated video essay, "Sunday Morning" contributor Robert Krulwich and animator Nate Milton go inside one of Nature's mysteries, to examine why an adult male elk, weighing around half a ton, makes such an uncharacteristically high-pitched sound.
For more info:
natemilton.com
HARTMAN: TBD
TV: Behind the scenes of "Survivor" Season 48A pioneer of reality TV, the CBS show "Survivor" celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. The game is simple: can one player outwit, outplay and outlast 17 others isolated on a South Pacific island to win the $1 million prize? "Sunday Morning" goes behind-the-scenes, as correspondent Jonathan Vigliotti visits Fiji, site of the "Survivor" challenge, to talk with host and showrunner Jeff Probst, along with cast and crew members, before the start of Season 48. Vigliotti also tests his stamina by taking part in a challenge rehearsal. Will he be voted out?
To watch a preview of "Survivor" click on the video player below:
For more info:
Season 48 of "Survivor" premieres February 26 on CBS and Paramount+Follow Jeff Probst on InstagramFollow "Survivor" on Facebook"Survivor" merch (Paramount Shop)Mattel's "Survivor Outwit Outplay Outlast Game"
BOOKS: "Resolute": Benjamin Hall on embracing the challenge of recoveryFox News correspondent Benjamin Hall and his crew were covering the war in Ukraine on March 14, 2022, when their car was struck by Russian missiles. Critically wounded, Hall was the only survivor. He wrote about the efforts to rescue him in his bestseller, "Saved." Now, he writes about his long road to recovery in his latest book, "Resolute: How We Humans Keep Finding Ways to Beat the Toughest Odds." Hall talks with correspondent Seth Doane about the importance of conflict reporting, and the tragedy he carries with him.
For more info:
"Resolute: How We Humans Keep Finding Ways to Beat the Toughest Odds" by Benjamin Hall (Harper Influence). In Hardcover, eBook and Audio formats, available March 18 via Bookshop.org, Barnes & Noble and AmazonFollow Benjamin Hall on Instagram
NATURE: TBD
WEB EXCLUSIVES:
FROM THE ARCHIVES: Presidential History with Mo Rocca (YouTube Video)Watch as correspondent Mo Rocca delves into the lives of American presidents with his entertaining stories of some of history's best- (and least-) remembered leaders.
"HERE COMES THE SUN": Adrien Brody and live movie music (Video)Actor Adrien Brody sits down with Tracy Smith to discuss his latest film "The Brutalist." Then, David Pogue learns about symphony orchestra concerts where a film coincides with a live performance of the music found in the movie.
The Emmy Award-winning "CBS News Sunday Morning" is broadcast on CBS Sundays beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET. Executive producer is Rand Morrison.
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"Sunday Morning" also streams on the CBS News app beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET. (Download it here.)
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You can also download the free "Sunday Morning" audio podcast at iTunes and at Play.it. Now you'll never miss the trumpet!
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Newsweek
2 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Elon Musk Weighs In on Potential Ghislaine Maxwell Trump Pardon
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Elon Musk has weighed in on the possibility of President Donald Trump issuing a pardon to Ghislaine Maxwell, the imprisoned associate of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. A user on X posted a meme that suggested Trump would pardon Maxwell after she "names a bunch of Democrats" and says Trump "did nothing wrong." Musk responded to the post early Monday with a bull's-eye emoji. Newsweek reached out to Musk and the White House via email for comment outside regular office hours. Why It Matters Maxwell is serving a 20-year sentence in federal prison after being convicted of helping Epstein sexually abuse underage girls. She has appealed her case to the Supreme Court, which has not yet decided whether to take up the case. Maxwell was questioned by the Department of Justice last week as the Trump administration continues to face pressure to release the government's files on the investigation into Epstein, after the DOJ and FBI said in a July 7 memo that Epstein did not have a list of clients and that no additional records would be released to the public. Questioned by reporters on Friday, Trump did not rule out the possibility of pardoning Maxwell. Musk, once a staunch ally of Trump and the head of the Department of Government Efficiency, is among those calling for the release of the files. During his falling out with Trump last month, Musk said without evidence in a since-deleted social media post that the Epstein files had not been released because Trump was in them. The president dismissed that claim, saying he "had nothing to do with it." Elon Musk participates in a news conference in the Oval Office of the White House on May 30, 2025. Elon Musk participates in a news conference in the Oval Office of the White House on May 30, 2025. Allison Roberts/AFP via Getty Images What To Know Trump on Friday deflected reporters' questions about pardoning Maxwell, saying that "I'm allowed to do it, but it's something I have not thought about." He spoke as Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche interviewed Maxwell at a Florida federal courthouse for a second day. Blanche said on social media last week that Maxwell would be interviewed because of Trump's directive to gather and release any credible evidence about others who may have committed crimes. Maxwell's attorney, David Markus, told reporters that Maxwell answered questions "honestly, truthfully, to the best of her ability." What People Are Saying House Speaker Mike Johnson said on NBC's Meet the Press, when asked if he was open to a pardon or commutation for Maxwell: "If you're asking my opinion, I think 20 years was a pittance. I think she should have a life sentence at least. "I mean, think of all these unspeakable hard to put into words how evil this was, and that she orchestrated it and was a big part of it, at least under the criminal sanction, I think is an unforgivable thing. So again, not my decision, but I have great pause about that as any reasonable person would." Maxwell's lawyer, David Markus, told reporters on Friday that Maxwell has endured "terrible, awful conditions for five years." "We just ask that folks, look at what she has to say with an open mind, and that's what Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has promised us, and everything she says can be corroborated, and she's telling the truth," Markus said. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, Thursday on X: "Today, I met with Ghislaine Maxwell, and I will continue my interview of her tomorrow. The Department of Justice will share additional information about what we learned at the appropriate time." What Happens Next It's unclear whether Trump will issue a pardon or commutation for Maxwell, but he is likely to continue facing questions about it in the coming days.
The Hill
4 minutes ago
- The Hill
Trump turns against right-wing media and his own supporters over Epstein
President Trump is a 79-year-old lame-duck president, approaching a difficult midterm in which he is likely to lose his Republican House majority. To add to that is the hardball political reality behind his failing effort to hush the scandal surrounding the decased sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein: The right-wing talking heads with the biggest audiences are starting to turn on him. Perhaps they are having pangs of conscience. Perhaps they are starting to think about their paychecks, their influence and their future livelihoods once Trump exits the stage. Whatever their motives, those top voices in the Trump media echo chamber deserve credit for keeping their spotlight on the Epstein case. And it is a good-faith effort, because the central truth is that countless young women were abused. It is deeply troubling that the justice system failed those young women. The plea deal given to Epstein in 2008, which allowed him to plead guilty to prostitution and not more serious charges of sex-trafficking, can only be politely described as 'suspicious.' Even Epstein's death by suicide prompted reasonable doubt and questions about possible foul play. Huge payments to Epstein by several of the nation's richest men remain unexplained to this day. And both Trump and former President Bill Clinton had close personal ties to Epstein. Since World War II, the U.S. media has had to fight the government to learn the truth about the Kennedy assassination, President Nixon's role in the Watergate scandal and bogus claims that weapons of mass destruction were secretly held in Iraq. Americans searching for hidden truths kept digging while most big newspapers and broadcast networks played the whole thing down as a kooky preoccupation for weirdos. Without strong investigative reporting, a hothouse culture of conspiracy theories grew on supermarket scandal sheets and extremist radio shows. With the rise of the internet, the conspiracy culture also took root on websites and podcasts. Beyond new technology, the rise of conservative media is tied to its 'free-for-all' embrace of conspiracy theories that generated click-bait and created cults of true believers. Today, the biggest papers and networks are in the background. They follow stories from conservative media as the authentic voice of the right-wing base that allows Trump to dominate the Republican Party. Even if those stories are false, they are now news. They gained in strength when Trump's supporters believed the lie that the 2020 election had been stolen and some attacked police officers as they stormed the U.S. Capitol. The Epstein case is an earthquake for Trump and his base because the man now keeping secrets is the one who was previously advertised by conservative media as their dragon-slayer. He was elevated as a counterforce to the big newspapers and the elite, highly educated people who dismissed the common man's search for truth. Now Trump is busy attacking his own followers as foolish for buying 'into this 'bulls—', hook, line and sinker' and called them 'weaklings.' He is also trying to distract his fans by releasing new files on Dr. Martin Luther King's assassination and sending out minions to make baseless, long-dismissed charges of treason against former President Barack Obama. Trump has also filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal and its owner Rupert Murdoch for reporting that Trump once sent a 'bawdy birthday card' to Epstein. (Full disclosure: Murdoch's News Corp also owns the New York Post and Fox News Media, where I have served as a political analyst for nearly three decades.) Trump's strategy of distraction is nothing new. Fifty-five years ago, Republican Vice President Spiro Agnew tried to deflect attention from his own corruption scandal by attacking the media, calling them 'the nattering nabobs of negativism.' It didn't work. Agnew ultimately resigned the vice presidency in disgrace rather than face prosecution for his crimes. Thirty-three years ago, Republican President George H.W. Bush attempted to revive his reelection campaign in the face of indictments tied to the Iran-Contra scandal. He handed out bumper stickers at rallies with the slogan, ' Annoy the Media, Re-Elect Bush.' The conservative-slanted media was still in its infancy when Agnew and Bush made their feeble attempts at distraction. Now, Trump is aiming his fire and fury at a full-grown conservative media ecosystem. These are the very loud voices that elevated him, elected him and re-elected him. One of the MAGA media universe's core narratives is that Epstein ran an underage sex trafficking ring for the richest and most powerful people in the country — and that the government was covering it up. Two of the loudest voices promoting this theory were Kash Patel and Dan Bongino, now serving as director and deputy director of the FBI, respectively. 'I say this to my Republican colleagues who are defending the indefensible: There will come a day when Donald Trump is gone, but your dishonor will remain,' former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) famously said during hearings on the Capitol riot of Jan. 6, 2021. She is looking like a prophet. In a striking exchange last week, MAGA-friendly podcast host Tim Dillon revealed that Vice President JD Vance invited him to a private dinner to spin him on the Epstein story. When the vice president is deployed to sway a podcaster, it only reinforces the perception that the Trump administration is involved in a cover-up. Right-wing voices are right to keep the Epstein story alive. Even if it is only to keep the clicks coming, it must also be said that they are heeding Cheney's warning about 'dishonor.'
Axios
4 minutes ago
- Axios
Trump rejects Netanyahu's claim that kids in Gaza aren't starving
President Trump said Monday that he disagrees with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's claim that there is no starvation in Gaza. What he is saying:"Based on television, I would say not particularly because those children look very hungry," Trump said when asked if he agreed with Netanyahu. Later he said, "There is real starvation in Gaza - you can't fake that." The big picture: The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is worse than ever, and ceasefire talks broke down last week. Trump and his top aides acknowledge privately and publicly that their strategy in Gaza hasn't worked. But they haven't yet decided whether or how to change it. Driving the news: "Hamas don't want to give the hostages. I told Bibi that he will have to now maybe do it in a different way," Trump said Monday at the top of his meeting with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Scotland. Trump added that a ceasefire "is possible" but "you have to end it." He suggested on Friday that Israel might have to fight harder to eliminate Hamas, a message that stands in stark contrast to that of Starmer and other the western leaders urging Israel to end the war. But he also said Monday that the situation in Gaza "is a mess" and stressed that civilians "have to get food and safety right now." State of play: On Sunday the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) started to implement daily humanitarian pauses in the fighting in several population centers across the Gaza Strip. The IDF on Sunday also conducted air drops of food in Gaza for the first time. The UAE and Jordan also conducted several air drops of food on Sunday and Monday. Despite his decision over the weekend to significantly change Israeli policy, on Sunday Netanyahu still claimed "there is no starvation in Gaza." The UN and other agencies have been reporting a growing number of deaths from starvation-related causes in recent weeks. What to watch: Two of Netanyahu's senior aides traveled to the U.S. on Sunday and will hold talks this week with White House officials on Iran and Gaza, an Israeli official and another source with knowledge told Axios. The visit by Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer and National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi come amid the stalemate in Gaza negotiations and as Israel and the U.S. coordinate the next steps on Iran. Trump said on Sunday during a meeting with the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that he'd spoken with Netanyahu about Iran. "I think Iran has been very nasty with their words. They got the hell knocked out of them, and I don't think they know it. Iran was beaten up very badly, for good reason. We cannot have them have a nuclear weapon," Trump said.
